Drainage and Community Garden Project Page

Guided by the Fresh Pond Master Plan, the Drainage and Community Garden project is a complete re visioning of this narrow stretch of railway corridor. The finished product will better protect water supply water quality, improve universal accessibility, and create a more peaceful, naturalistic user experience that we strive to cultivate in the rest of the Fresh Pond Reservation. The project design addresses:

Drainage issues on the perimeter path which result in pooling and unsafe icing in winter

Proper repurposing of a defunct railroad right of way

Increased accessibility and ADA-compliance for the community gardens and pathways

Redesigned plots for the gardens, increasing definition & access

Invasive species management and the creation of a native plant community that increases ecological and habitat value

Demolition will include removing existing railroad rails and ties, the existing perimeter road, community gardens, and wooded area between Fresh Pond Parkway and the reservoir. All but 25 high value trees and primarily invasive understory will be removed to facilitate relocating both the perimeter road and community gardens, and allow for the installation of planted bermed barriers and the new vegetated stormwater detention and treatment system. To mitigate the removal of 70 trees, the project will plant 182 native trees, 729 native shrubs/understory, and 7,500 native wet-tolerant plants in the stormwater basin. Improvements also include new and refurbished fencing, a new seating area on the pond road, hubway, big-belly trash and recycling unit, and a water fountain and bike racks at the garden.

The existing community garden has limited accessibility, in an isolated area subject to flooding, and has 23 large and ill-defined ground-level plots. The new community garden will be located closer to the Water Treatment Plant parking lot, and create 26 defined plots with raised planters, two of which are fully accessible.